Driving Lesson
by gettsr
Summary: Chesney tries to give Sophie a driving lesson. Please Review. It helps.
1. Chapter 1

"Are you trying to kill me?!" Chesney shouted as the car came to a grinding halt. Little did Chesney Brown know that when he had volunteered to teach Sophie Webster to drive that he was putting his life in her hands. But then she had begged him. There was no way that she would do it with her mother. They would end up killing each other. So she had gone to her old friend Chesney in the hope that he would be free. And here they were on a Sunday afternoon in a parking lot trying not to kill his van's clutch. He now wished that he had just stayed home with Sinead.

"Ches! Come on, the car just stopped" Sophie whinged.

"The engine just stalled because you murdered the clutch," Chesney explained trying to calm down. She sighed, doubt in her eyes as her shoulders fell defeated. He looked her in the face and grinned. "You'll get it Soph" Chesney reassured her.

Chesney had known Sophie Webster his entire life. He had needed someone strong and kind like her to get him thru his early life. Chesney had never had a father or brother to protect him like most lads. His mother's rotating door of boyfriends didn't help either. In hindsight he had sought out Sophie because she had the strength that he needed. And she was dead funny, smart, and pretty in that no-fuss-way. All the lads were more interested in her chavvy sister Rosie, but Chesney knew to stay clear. Sophie was way better.

Not that she was perfect by any means. She had a mouth on her and could be quite shouty. He'd heard a few choice words out of her mouth this morning. Words that you'd never expect from a Christian he thought. Sophie was not one that you'd cross. Any shoplifters in the whole of Weatherfield knew to stay away from her. Get caught and she'd strip you bare with that tongue of hers. He would always remember how she had stood up for Fiz, even when her husband had done such terrible things to her family. Sophie had stood up to her mother about it, which was no small feat.

He knew, though, that Sophie also hid a lot of insecurity behind that stroppy mouth of hers. He'd seen her fall apart first after her parents divorce and then when she'd lost Sian. It had been rough not being able to help her when she broke apart. To be far though he always knew that she would pull herself back together. Never underestimate a Webster.

"I've just got to do this Ches. I just have to" Sophie said to him. There was a desperate look in her eyes. "Why is this so important Soph?" he asked. "It's just…" she struggled to say, then ran her hands thru her hair. "If I can drive then I can go places on my own…don't have to depend on my mum…I'll be independent…" she said excitedly. It took Chesney a minute, but then he got it. "You want to be able to meet more people like you" Chesney said nodding. Her eyes beamed excitedly. "I mean don't get me wrong Weatherfield's great and all but it's hard," Sophie admitted.

As a teenager, before he'd met Katy, Chesney had fallen hard for Sophie Webster. He had been a bit gutted when he'd found out that she was a lesbian. He'd never known a girl like that before. Of course he was okay with gay people, I mean he thought George Michael was all right. And Fiz liked watching Mary, Queen of Shops when it was on. But he worried that Soph would change because of this, and he would lose not only a crush, but a good mate as well. Luckily that had not happened. Sophie stayed very much the same, as she had told Chesney back then "It's something inside me, about the way I feel, but it's just one part of me." It had reassured him that Sophie was still Sophie.

"No, I get it" Chesney nodded. And he did understand that for her it must be proper lonely. And taking cabs all the time was expensive, Chesney thought practically.

"Well come on, I'm supposed to take Sinead to the movies next Friday and she'll be well annoyed if I'm still here trying to get you to understand how to shift" Chesney teased. She smacked him on the shoulder playfully.

"Cheeky!" she smiled. Then she got the engine going again. Chesney steeled himself. This might be a long afternoon. He just hoped that she didn't hit anything.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: So I originally wasn't going to write a sequel to Driving Lesson, but then I got this idea and decided that it followed the thread that I wanted to create around Sophie and Chesney's friendship. So here you go. I hope you like it. Reviews are great. They help me along. Help me to know if this is interesting at all. So leave one. It'd be great, just sayin'.

Sophie had promised Chesney a pint after their driving lesson that afternoon. Her driving test was coming up and she defo had taken out her nerves on him today. "Y'know, I didn't really mean what I said Ches" Sophie said sincerely. Chesney nodded. He understood. Knowing Sophie for as long as he had, he knew that she tended to get shouty and defensive when stressed. "At least you didn't hit anything eh?" Chesney teased, "Well except maybe my shoulder." He winced, playing up the injury. "Oi! Stop it!" Sophie laughed.

Beth Tinker was watching them from the booth. She didn't like what she saw going on between that Webster girl and Chesney. True, she had heard all the goss. And Beth had no problem with the gays. Hell she had even dated a few before they knew in school. And Sean was a great laugh. But then again the Websters were certifiably crazy. Look at Sally for fuck's sake. She could be such a mardy cow sometimes.

She walked over to the table where Chesney and Sophie were laughing over summat. "Hiya" Beth said towering over them. They looked up together. "What's going on Beth?" Chesney said unnerved. You never knew what was going to come out of Beth Tinker's mouth, it was always a toss up. "Just wondering what your doing" Beth demanded in a sweet but clearly edgy tone. "Sophie promised me a pint" Chesney answered, looking over at Sophie who had suddenly found her Driver's Handbook very interesting. "Well isn't Sinead waiting for you?" Beth said barely keeping her tone even. "Yeah but she said it was fine to sit with Sophie for a minute" Chesney said. His annoyance was beginning to show. He didn't appreciate this kind of interrogation at all, much less in front of Sophie. "Anything else Beth?" Cheney asked irritated. "Aye Sophie?" Beth acknowledged the girls presence. Sophie looked up, steeling herself for what was possibly coming.

"You're still a lezzer right?" Beth asked.

Sophie sighed, before answering "Yes".

"Good. Just Checking. Ta." Beth said as she dismissed herself. She returned to her table.

"Hey let's ask Sophie" they heard across the bar. Looking to see who it was and she saw Lloyd and Steve at the bar. They walked over with pints in hand. "Settle an argument for us" Steve said. "Go on" Sophie nodded. She couldn't wait to hear this she thought sarcastically.

"Well as a lesbian who do you think is hotter: Rhianna or Nicki Minaj?" Steve asked with utter seriousness. She stood up. She'd had enough. "I've got to go Ches" she said as she headed for the exit. Steve looked at Chesney dubiously. Chesney headed after her seeing that she was upset.

"What did I say?" Steve said to Lloyd throwing his hands up in the air.

Before she made it to the door she passed by Beth Tinker's table. She stopped, unable to stop herself.

"Oi! For your information-I can't just flip my being a lesbian on and off like a light switch. It doesn't work that way" Sophie haughtily explained to a shocked Beth and Kirk. Chesney had caught up to her and desperately wanted to stop a row from happening. "Oh and by the way, If I'd wanted Chesney, I could have had him a long time ago" Sophie said angrily. She turned around and headed out the door.

"Great Beth. Thanks a lot" Chesney said as he headed out the door.

Beth looked at Kirk shocked. "Well what was that about?" Kirk asked. "Dunno, Stroppy Mare" Beth said clueless.

Chesney looked for Sophie at her house but she wasn't there and Sally hadn't seen her. He tried the shop, The Kabin, even the kebab shop (although Sophie didn't really like kebabs and Ryan might be there), but there was no sign of her. He was about to give up on her when he remembered one last place.

That's where he found her sitting at the bench. It had been "their bench." Her and Sian had spent hours there just a few years ago. He used to tease them that a plague and statue would be erected. Now Sophie sat there with her arms crossed.

"Finally found me" she sighed.

"Why didn't you answer your phone?" Chesney said worried.

"Sorry Okay. I just felt embarassed for kicking off and I didn't want to make it worse" Sophie said.

Chesney sat down.

"Hey, it's okay. That was out of order of them, Soph" Chesney reassured her.

"No, I'm used to it. Don't forget I'm the lezzer of Coronation Street" Sophie said bitterly. Chesney hated seeing this cynical hard side of Sophie. He had seen it nearly kill her during her parents divorce. He put his arms around her shoulders. She leaned into his shoulder.

"It's just hard Ches. I can't remember a time when I wasn't something" Sophie sighed. "At first I was Rosie's sister, then Coronation's lesbian, then that Girl who fell off the church roof…" Sophie started explaining. "But I rarely, if ever, just get to be me, Sophie Webster" Sophie sighed.

She wasn't really telling Chesney the whole truth. There was one person who could make her feel that way. But she kept those moments close to her heart.

"I should be used to it by now. I should just let it go. Especially with Beth Tinker for Christ's sake" she laughed. Chesney nodded. He got it.

"But Soph, you're not alone" Chesney grabbed her shoulder.

"Yeah, Sophie, you're not" they both looked up as they heard a voice across from them. It was Sinead. She came up to them from across the cobbles.

"I hope it's okay, I called her when I couldn't find you" Chesney asked.

"God, Sophie I'm so sorry. My aunt can be the most ignorant sometimes" Sinead said sincerely.

"It's okay. Look my mum can be a silly mare as well" Sophie laughed.

"Yeah I know that you would never go for Chesney, that's just daft" Sinead shook her head at the silly idea.

"I'm just too much man for her" Chesney joked.

"Oh you reckon?" Sophie punched him in the shoulder as they both stood up. The trio headed down the street. Chesney and Sinead locked hands as Sophie walked alone. They came to her door first. Ready to say their goodbyes, Sophie turned toward them.

"Y'know what? Steve and Lloyd were both wrong. The answer is always Beyonce" Sophie laughed.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: This takes place after the episode on 9/1. I can't help but keep writing Sophie Chesney scenes. It's so much fun. This also contains references to another fanfic I've written called The First Time. Enjoy. Please Review. It urges me on.

They were supposed to be studying, but really they were doing more goofing off. Sophie did have her driving test scheduled in two days but she was sure that she was ready. However Fiz had begged her to come over and cheer Chesney up. He was being all sulky over the "Katie or Sinead" thing. So Sophie had caved. She needed to get out of the house anyway. Her mum's new boyfriend was there all the time and it was pretty insufferable.

"It's supposed to be a deer!" Chesney shouted laughing.

"Tell me Ches-When was the last time you saw a deer running around Weatherfield? Such a bit of rubbish!" Sophie reasoned.

"If you just plan on driving around Weatherfield you can just get provisional license like Rosie" Chesney pointed out.

"Oh you! Like I'd ever want to lower myself that far," she laughed good-naturedly. Sophie asked if he wanted another can. He nodded as she got up to get another beer from the fridge.

Chesney was shocked to find himself smiling. He had been in such a depressed mood. He had clearly thought that he was doing the right thing. Being with Katie again meant that he could have her and Joseph living there and they could be a family. It was what he wanted so desperately. He had grown up without any kind of stable home. He didn't want that for his son.

But he hadn't been able to do it. Not being able to get Sinead out his mind, he knew that he had blown it. Now he was back to square one and it sucked.

Sophie came back into the room handing him a can.

"What's with the long face?" Sophie asked.

"I think you know. Everyone does" Chesney sighed as he flipped the can open.

Sophie rolled her eyes. "Oh let me guess. Sinead or Katie? Which will it be? Poor Chesney, he has so many lasses flocking over him," she said in a mocking tone. It was only Sophie that could mock him in this way. He knew that she didn't mean anything by it. Sophie had one of the biggest hearts on the street. Chesney knew that.

"Sorry. I need to stop moping and just get over it" Chesney countered.

"Well I can't tell you really what women want in a man, but I can tell you that no one wants a soppy moper Chesney" Sophie advised.

"It's hard though. I know I don't have a lot of opportunities and now I've thrown two perfectly good chances away" Chesney moaned.

"Hey now, Chesney. You need to buck up. You never know what's around the corner. Maybe Cheryl Lloyd's bus will break down right outside your door and she'll need a capable ginger," Sophie laughed.

"I'd have to take you down first Soph I reckon" he teased.

"But seriously Ches, you're the best mate on this street. The good guys do win out. Look at Tyrone and Fiz" Sophie reassured.

"Oh yeah! After they'd both been involved with criminals and murderers!" Chesney argued back.

"Alright! Bad example. But Chesney-you deserve to be happy. We all do" Sophie said sincerely. And she believed it too.

"Well you do too Soph" Chesney held out his can in a toast.

They clinked cans as old friends. Sophie returned to her driver's manual.

"Y'know it's nearly 3 years since Hayley and Roy's wedding" Chesney brought up. It had been a major event in both their lives. Chesney had been Roy's best man, which as a 15 year old was huge. It had also been the first time that Katie had shown any real interest in him at all. The fact that she had shown up to be his official date in public was amazing. He never would have thought it possible.

"Oh yeah" Sophie sighed. She surely remembered that day since it was the biggest day of her life. She was outed in front of everyone, and then she came out to her dad for the first time.

"Of course! I'm sorry Soph I forgot" Chesney apologized. It seemed so long ago now. It hadn't occurred to him that Sophie would think of it differently.

"It's okay Ches. Honestly it was one of the most painful but relieving days of my life" Sophie admitted.

"It must be hard to think on" Chesney remarked. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to have such a secret aired to the whole street. Of course it had been no surprise to him. He already knew about Sophie and Sian. One time that summer he had followed Sophie into a side street and spied the girls making out. They clearly were more than friends.

"No really. It was hard at the time, but it was something that had to happen because I couldn't live a lie anymore" Sophie said.

"Still, you could have told me. I would have helped you" Chesney said sincerely.

"I don't doubt it Ches, but it's not the same as anything else. I was just afraid that everyone would hate me" Sophie sighed. It was true. At the time she had been deathly afraid of the hatred from everyone and losing Sian forever.

"Well I wouldn't have. I mean I already knew it so," Chesney said with a smile. He squeezed Sophie's shoulder.

"Yeah well apparently you'd already perved on me and Sian prior so" Sophie teased back.

"Yep!" he gave her some wiggly eyebrows. Her mouth fell open. She hit him in the shoulder.

"CHESNEY!" she shouted mockingly.

"You provided me with great night time material every night for a month" he laughed.


End file.
